As will be recognized by those skilled in the art, fire ants have become an increasingly irritable pest, especially in all global temperate zones including the southern United States. These insects are quite aggressive and deliver an especially bothersome bite. These ants, scientifically named Solenopsis saevissima v. richterii, but more commonly simply called fire ants, migrated into the United States from South America during the early 1900's. The rate at which the fire ants have been spreading has increased exponentially and it has been calculated that in the U.S., fire ants will infest significant geographic regions all across the southern U.S. by 2010. The phenomenon of global warming will only tend to increase that rate of expansion and geographical impact. The infestation into populated regions has caused incalculable problems which have, in the extreme, been fatal. Moreover, the damage fire ants cause to agricultural crops, golf courses and individual lawns has grown significantly as their habitable range has increased during recent years. Thus, this pest has become a large problem for everyone across its range. Many proposals have been put forth to deal with the problem.
Many attack the fire ant problem by using high concentrations of toxic chemicals, which kill a wide variety of ants, insects, rodents and other species that may be beneficial or otherwise desirable. The amount of money spent on this problem is significant, and there is an ongoing quest for better, more effective pesticides. In fact, there is a wide variety of commercially available pesticides that have been unsuccessful in eliminating the problem.
A problem that can be vexing with eliminating fire ant infestations is the reclamation of extinct fire ant mounds by new fire ant infestations. It can take months or even years before native plants or weathering breaks down extinct mounds. Thus, a fire ant pesticide that efficiently eradicated entire colonies while also simultaneously promoting plant growth into the relinquished mounds to help break them down would be desirable. Another consideration for an improved fire ant pesticide is that it be relatively safe from unintended consequences while being highly effective at eliminating fire ant infestations. Another important consideration is that the composition be quickly rainproof so that subsequent wettings do not adversely affect the efficacy of the composition. Yet another important consideration is that the composition resists clumping when exposed to high humidity conditions, as are commonly present in most of the world's temperate regions during the summer months. An important consideration is that the composition may be economically spread by broadcasting it around and about the fire ant mound to be eradicated. Another important consideration is that the pesticide promotes replacement plant growth to help break up the fire ant mound to thereby prevent reinfestations.
Internal testing of this invention proved that fire ants could be eradicated with use of a highly organic mixture. Our success was proven by an industry respected third-party testing process, Texas A&M University AgriLIFE Extension office. Dr. Bastiaan ‘Bart’ M. Drees, Professor, Extension Entomologist and Regents Fellow, Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University was contacted in 2007 to conduct testing. Extensive research testing was conducted against one of the world's leading industry products, Ortho® Orthene® (containing 50% chemical acephate) and this testing substantiated our internal test findings. Report findings included that this invention uses less active ingredient to treat ant mounds than does Ortho® Orthene® (1 tablespoons of Ortho® Orthene® containing 50% acephate used 0.5 tablespoons of acephate per mound, whereas 4 tablespoons of “Fire Ant Hayter Bait” containing 4% acephate used 0.16 tablespoons acephate per mound). Therefore, use of this invention results in lower amounts of active chemical ingredient applied to the environment. Fire Ant Hayter Bait demonstrated greater efficacy in both percentages of mound eradications and in colony population elimination. The full test reports from Texas A&M University may be compared in subsequent text of this application.
Examples of known art that fail to adequately address the foregoing considerations include U.S. Pat. No. 4,985,413 issued to Kohama et al. on Jan. 15, 1991, which discloses a poison bait for control of noxious insects. A composition which comprises (a) at least one insecticide selected from the group consisting of organic phosphorous insecticides, carbamate insecticides and pyrethroid insecticide, (b) crystalline cellulose and (c) crop product powders evaporated with (d) an essential oil and (e) a saccharide respectively in amounts of 0.1 to 10.0% by weight and 10.0 to 40.0% by weight based on the total weight of the composition, which is useful as a bait for the control of noxious insects. This composition is not believed to be quickly rainproof nor economical to broadcast. The composition is not believed to promote replacement plant growth to help break up the fire ant mound to thereby prevent reinfestations.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,480,638 issued to Erwin on Jan. 2, 1996, discloses an insecticide bait composition. A powdered insecticide bait composition which includes powdered dry pet food, powdered pyrethrin or pyrethroid and boric acid killing ingredients and a powdered clay drying agent. A method for preparing the composition, including the steps of grinding the dry pet food into a powder, adding the powdered pyrethrin and boric acid killing ingredients to the pet food granules and thoroughly mixing the ingredients. The resulting powdered mixture can be sprinkled around the baseboards of a structure to kill roaches or other scavenging insects and on ant mounds to kill ants, including fire ants. An additional step in preparing the composition includes a powdered oil-soak type clay drying agent to the mixture to maintain the mixture in a dry, fine, flowable powder. This composition is not believed to be quickly rainproof nor economical to broadcast. The composition is not believed to promote replacement plant growth to help break up the fire ant mound to thereby prevent reinfestations.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,153,181 issued to Nelson et al. on Nov. 28, 2000, discloses a granular pest bait. A substantially water-free insecticidal granular bait suitable for controlling crawling insects such as cockroaches and ants. The bait includes an insecticide, several feeding stimulants which are typically carbohydrates and proteins, and a lipid. These bait compositions are in granular form, which are useful for application in hard-to-reach areas and are particularly useful in wet conditions, as well as hot, dry areas. This composition is not believed to be economical to broadcast. The composition is not believed to promote replacement plant growth to help break up the fire ant mound to thereby prevent reinfestations.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,618,565 issued to Thomas on Apr. 8, 1997, discloses a composition for exterminating fire ants. A dry powder composition of matter which consists essentially of sodium bicarbonate, a powdered acid, an ant attractant, and a deterrent for animals, birds and insects other than fire ants, such as red chili powder or capsaicin, has been found to selectively kill fire ants, once eaten by the ants or taken into a warm, moist ant mound. The composition does not harm humans, cattle, horses, birds, rodents, etc., and also will not harm black, red, or sugar ants. This composition is not believed to be quickly rainproof nor economical to broadcast. The composition is not believed to promote replacement plant growth to help break up the fire ant mound to thereby prevent reinfestations.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,679,365 issued to Henderson et al. on Oct. 21, 1997, discloses a composition and method for forming an insecticide. A method for preparing and a product made thereby for a bait insecticide composition that is toxic toward fire ants (Solenopsis saevissima v. richterii). Such a composition is comprised of an attractant agent (concord grape extract) mixed with a toxicant (organophosphorous compound) and an enhancing agent (salt). This present invention has the ability to control fire ants while remaining environmentally safe by being inert with regard to most other ants and nearly all other types of insects, rodents and mammals. This material is normally a liquid or gel that can be difficult to apply and/or broadcast across large areas. This composition is not believed to be quickly rainproof. The composition is not believed to promote replacement plant growth to help break up the fire ant mound to thereby prevent reinfestations.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,831,104 issued to Taylor on Dec. 14, 2004 discloses an insect pest eradication system. An insect pest eradication system comprised of a non-lethal knockout agent and an insecticide. The present invention also relates to a method of eradicating insects, particularly those found in earthen colonies, by treating the insects with a non-lethal knockout agent, such as trans-dichloroethylene, in combination with a suitable insecticide for the targeted insects. This composition is not believed to be quickly rainproof nor economical to broadcast. The composition is not believed to promote replacement plant growth to help break up the fire ant mound to thereby prevent reinfestations.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,320,130 issued to Balsley et al. on Mar. 16, 1982 discloses a bait compositions for the control of insects prepared from pregel corn and a toxicant. There is provided a pesticidal bait composition useful for the control of insects, such as fire ants. There is also provided a method of preparation of said baits, whereby pregel defatted corn grits are blended with a solution of a toxicant in a mixture of an edible oil, such as soyabean oil, and a higher fatty acid, such as oleic or stearic acid. This composition is not believed to be quickly rainproof nor economical to broadcast. The composition is not believed to promote replacement plant growth to help break up the fire ant mound to thereby prevent reinfestations.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,916,469 issued to Rojas et al. on Jul. 12, 2005 discloses a gellable ant bait matrix. Ant foods mixed together in a matrix suitable to be used as baits for ants are provided. This ant matrix is preferred by ants over naturally-occurring foods such as other known ant matrices. It comprises protein, carbohydrate, fat and sterol as ant-preferred nutrients and uric acid as a bait enhancing agent is carried in a unique gel system that is specifically attractive to insects. Methods of controlling ants using such matrices to deliver ant toxins are also provided. This composition is not believed to be quickly rainproof nor economical to broadcast. The composition is not believed to promote replacement plant growth to help break up the fire ant mound to thereby prevent reinfestations.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,939,061 issued to Vail et al. on Aug. 17, 1999, discloses an ant bait attractive to multiple species of ants. An attractant composition has been discovered for the control of multiple species of pest arthropods, particularly multiple species of pest ants. The composition, which includes a sugar and a salt or base, and water, attracts both oil-loving and sweet-loving ants and is especially useful with water soluble or suspendable toxicants. This composition is not believed to be quickly rainproof nor economical to broadcast. The composition is not believed to promote replacement plant growth to help break up the fire ant mound to thereby prevent reinfestations.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,611 issued to Wilson, et al. discloses a method of manufacture and composition of a core including an insect poison encapsulated in a shell material. The shell was resistant to water but could be penetrated by some insects. It is believed that fire ants often have trouble penetrating the shell and that this method is not very successful in causing the termination of large numbers of fire ants. This composition is not believed to be quickly rainproof nor economical to broadcast. The composition is not believed to promote replacement plant growth to help break up the fire ant mound to thereby prevent reinfestations.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,962,461 issued to Brown, Jr., et al. discloses a toxic bait for insects, in which the bait contains suspended recrystallized Mirex in a sweet, aqueous solution. This substance is used to combat carpenter ants and is not specifically designed to attract fire ants. Since fire ants differ greatly in appetite and in other ways from carpenter ants, it is believed that fire ants have not been greatly attracted to this bait, resulting in an ineffective insecticide for fire ant application. This composition is not believed to be quickly rainproof nor economical to broadcast. The composition is not believed to promote replacement plant growth to help break up the fire ant mound to thereby prevent reinfestations.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,460,606 and 4,540,711 both issued to Bettarini, et al. disclose a method for fighting infestation by fire ants consisting of a bait comprising hydroquinone diether having at least one acetylenic and halogen-substituted chain and selected from 1-[(5-chloro-pent-4-inyl)-oxy]-4 phenoxybenzene and 1,4-di-(5-chloro-4-pentinyloxy)-benzene. Like the Brown pesticide, it is believed that the Bettarini disclosure has not been successful in reducing fire ant infestations significantly. This composition is not believed to be quickly rainproof nor economical to broadcast. The composition is not believed to promote replacement plant growth to help break up the fire ant mound to thereby prevent reinfestations.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,220,921 issued to Greenbaum, et al. discloses a poison containing a bait composition. This composition eliminates fire ants but it also attracts many beneficial insects (i.e., bees, flies, beetles, etc.). Therefore, this bait has the disadvantages of attracting insects that should not be extinguished because it will upset the ecological balance and eliminates insects, such as honey bees, which are commercially and environmentally desirable. Furthermore, although this bait attracts fire ants, it does not appear to attract them to the degree necessary to rid large areas of fire ants. Lastly, there appears to be problems with the form of this composition (primarily solid), which makes it difficult to distribute in large quantities over a large geographical area. This composition is not believed to be quickly rainproof nor economical to broadcast. The composition is not believed to promote replacement plant growth to help break up the fire ant mound to thereby prevent reinfestations.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,094,853, 5,104,658 and 5,116,618 issued to Hagarty disclose a killing composition containing an organophosphorous compound mixed with a corn sweetener. These compositions by Hagarty are pesticides in the form of arthropodicidally-active foam matrices. Like the Greenbaum '921 patent composition, this insecticide was designed to control fire ants, as well as certain crustaceans, arachnids, a wide variety of crawling insects and certain myriapods. The problem with this composition, once again, is that it attacks more insects than simply fire ants. Therefore, it too appears to upset the ecological balance more than necessary and it kills desirable insects. This composition is not believed to be quickly rainproof nor economical to broadcast. The composition is not believed to promote replacement plant growth to help break up the fire ant mound to thereby prevent reinfestations.
Unlike the present invention, the known art toxic compositions are consumed by a variety of species and, thus, most cannot be used under circumstances where it is necessary for insects and other species to thrive. Thus, there exists a need in the field of fire ant control, as well as the zoological field, for improved technology relating to controlling and/or eradicating fire ant infestations safely and in an ecologically sound fashion. In particular, there is a need to improve the desirable attributes of fire ant baits and pesticides while simultaneously maintaining the expected performance characteristics of the pesticide and especially the ability to broadcast the bait over a target mound to ensure it is taken by the ants into the nest.